Formula 40 catamaran class rules

[Alik]

Need to look at Formula 40 catamaran class rules - does anyone have a link on current rules? Thanks.

[Corley]

Sadly the circuit finished years ago and the prosail one as well. I've looked for the final version of the rules without success, the rule was a box rule which trimarans tended to dominate in the end due to their better righting moment. The class minimum weight was 1800kgs. Many Formula 40's were demountable for container transport.

Kurt Hughes has a stock plan for a Formula 40 cat might give some useful info.

http://www.multihulldesigns.com/desi...ck/f40cat.html

[Doug Lord]

You might try to follow up with the original poster on this thread:
Where can I find, Full Pelt, 40' Trimaran
Just out of curiosity why this rule?

[Alik]

Originally Posted by Doug Lord

Just out of curiosity why this rule?

We are doing 40' racing cat; checking baseline for design.

[powerabout]

how about the Extreme 40's?
Design is nothing special buts it is a current race series
extreme40.org

[Alik]

Thanks I have seen already, extreme40 is a one-deisgn.

[Richard Woods]

The F40 basic parameters were a Tornado doubled. I think the minimum displacement was 1850 kgs not 1700

It was pretty easy to build below that weight, even in wood. The first year the boats (all catamarans) had to race offshore, so most had little cuddies. The second year they were inshore race boats only, so the first year's boats were thrown away. No bad thing, most had too low fore/aft stability. Randy Smyth showed that a small jib big mainsail was the way to go. (More sail area offwind that way) The second generation were more seaworthy.

By year 4 an arms race developed and rigs got higher, up to 85ft. Resulting in many pitchpoles.

It was supposed to be an introductory offshore multihull racer (similar to the Open 40 today). So some were built for the Round Britain, the 2STAR etc. But it all fizzled out when too much money was spent on too few day races.

I watched the first year racing, raced in the same regattas as F40's in the second year. The last time I raced against a F40 was in the Swiftsure 2009 when I was crewing on Bad Kitty a 35ft cat and we just beat a souped up F40, the Seattle based Dragonfly.

If you want to see some sailing shots watch the Pierce Brosman Thomas Crown affair (not the Steve Mcqueen version). Some of the best sailing ever seen on a non sailing movie

Richard Woods of Woods Designs

www.sailingcatamarans.com

[DGreenwood]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBj0AzryNHY

That would be here.

[Bruce Woods]

Originally Posted by Richard Woods

. Randy Smyth showed that a small jib big mainsail was the way to go.www.sailingcatamarans.com

I may be wrong but I think the small (tiny) jib large main combination came about through the rule. A storm jib had to be carried so Randy's answer was to make it earn its keep, and fly the thing.

Can anyone confirm?

[Bruce Woods]

Tiny Jib on F40

[Alik]

This is:


Still need to refine the foils. Also making structural calcs now...

[Doug Lord]

Originally Posted by Alik

Still need to refine the foils. Also making structural calcs now...

================
Alik, good looking boat! Will you be using curved lifting foils or lifting foils of any kind?

[powerabout]

whats the load on the mainsheet at the boom?
(tiller crossbar infront of mainsheet, never seen that before?)

[Alik]

Originally Posted by powerabout

whats the load on the mainsheet at the boom?

Come on, nobody draw actual number of blocks on renderings...

tiller crossbar infront of mainsheet, never seen that before?

This arrangement is more comfortable, in my opinion.

[powerabout]

Originally Posted by Alik

Come on, nobody draw actual number of blocks on renderings...

Sorry I didnt mean that I was interested to know how much load on a 40 footer at the boom